The Complete Book of Boondock RVing
Page 21
Cottonwood Campground, Big Bend National Park. Description: fee, 31 sites, pit toilets, water. Directions: 22 miles south of Santa Elena Junction off Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. Contact: 432-477-2251; www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/cottonwood_campground.htm.
Rio Grande Village Campground, Big Bend National Park. Description: fee, 100 sites, flush toilets, water, dump station nearby. Directions: 20 miles southeast of Panther Junction. Contact: 432-477-2251; www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/rgv_campground.htm.
Padre Island National Seashore is almost the perfect wintertime boondocking camp site, like Quartzsite. It has four campgrounds that accommodate RVs. Directions: SR-358 east from Corpus Christi to Padre Island, then 10 miles south on Park Road 22. Contact: 361-949-8068; www.nps.gov/pais/planyourvisit/camping.htm.
Bird Island Basin. Description: fee, no designated sites, chemical toilets.
Malaquite. Description: fee, 42 RV sites, toilets, rinse showers, water and dump station nearby.
North Beach. Description: no designated sites, no facilities.
South Beach. Description: no designated sites, no facilities. RVers park their vehicles in the first 5 miles of beach from the end of Park Road.
Utah
Utah has a number of beautiful national parks. We have visited all of them, and enjoy going back again and again. We like Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef the best.
Devils Garden Campground, Arches National Park. Description: fee, 52 sites, toilets, water. Directions: US-191 5 miles north of Moab. Contact: 435-719-2299; www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/camping.htm.
North Campground, Bryce Canyon National Park. Description: fee, 107 sites, restrooms, water. Directions: opposite vistor center, which is 4.5 miles south of intersection of UT-12 and UT-63. Contact: 435-834-5322; www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/northcampground.htm.
Sunset Campground, Bryce Canyon National Park. Description: fee, 50 sites, restrooms, water. Directions: 2 miles south of vistor center, which is 4.5 miles south of intersection of UT-12 and UT-63. Contact: 435-834-5322; www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/sunsetcampground.htm.
Squaw Flat Campground, Canyonlands National Park. Description: fee, 26 sites, restrooms, water. Directions:US-191 south from Moab to SR-211, then 35 miles to visitor center, then west. Contact: 435-719-2313; www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/camping.htm.
Willow Flat Campground, Canyonlands National Park. Description: fee, 12 sites, vault toilets. Directions: US-191 north from Moab to SR-313, then 22 miles to visitor center, then 6 miles south. Contact:435-719-2313; www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/camping.htm.
Fruita Campground, Capitol Reef National Park. Description: fee, 71 sites, rest-rooms, water, dump station. Directions: SR-24 to visitor center, then 1 mile south. Contact: 435-425-3791; www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/fruitacampground.htm.
Vermont
None of Vermont’s state parks have hookups, so they’re great for boondocking. For more information, go to www.vtstateparks.com.
Virginia
Virginia has some great locations—such as the Chesapeake Bay—but not many primitive campgrounds. There are places in the Blue Ridge Parkway area, but we hesitate to recommend them because of the winding, steep roads in the mountains. It’s best to scout where you want to go by car or pickup truck first. For more information, go to www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks.
Washington
Washington’s state parks have a lot to offer, including primitive camping. For more information, go to www.parks.wa.gov/parks.We’ve also boondocked in the following locations:
Two Rivers Casino RV Park. Description: fee, 100 full-hookup sites but overnight parking allowed in parking lot (contact security first). Directions: SR-25 20 miles north of Davenport. Contact: 509-722-4029; www.tworiverscasinoandresort.com.
Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area has 27 campgrounds. Most accommodate RVs (without hookups) but some are only reachable by boat. Contact: 509-633-9441; www.nps.gov/laro/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm.
Mount Rainier National Park has five campgrounds suitable for RVs. The park experienced severe flooding in 2006, so you should check ahead of time to see what roads and campgrounds are open. As of this writing, only Cougar Rock, Ohanapecosh, and White River campgrounds will be open in 2007. Contact: 360-569-2211; www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/camping.htm.
Wyoming
Wyoming is a wonderful state for boondocking. We have done primitive camping all over the state. All BLM land is usually open for camping. In addition to the places we mentioned on pages 21-22 in Chapter 2, we have camped in the city parks in Douglas and Sheridan and along Sinks Canyon Road between Lander and SR-28.
One of our all-time favorite spots is Grand Teton National Park, which has several campgrounds that accommodate RVs:
Colter Bay Campground. Description: fee, 350 sites, flush toilets, showers, dump stations. Directions: 25 miles north of Moose Visitor Center, which is 12 miles north of Jackson. Contact: 1-800-628-9988; www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm.
Gros Ventre Campground. Description: fee, 360 sites, dump station. Directions: 11.5 miles south and east of Moose Visitor Center, which is 12 miles north of Jackson. Contact: 1-800-628-9988; www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm.
Lizard Creek Campground. Description: fee, 60 sites. Directions: 32 miles north of Moose Visitor Center, which is 12 miles north of Jackson. Contact: 1-800-672-6012; www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm.
Signal Mountain Campground. Description: fee, 81 sites, dump station. Directions: 16 miles north of Jenny Lake Visitor Center, which is 8 miles north of the Moose Visitor Center. Contact: 1-800-672-6012; www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm.
Yellowstone National Park. Description: 12 camping areas—some have restaurants, grocery stores, hot showers, boat ramps, and allow generators to be run, in addition to toilets, water, and dump stations. Contact: 307-344-7311; www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/camping-in-yellowstone.htm. Note: Avoid using US-20 and US-212 going into or out of Yellowstone because of long, steep grades.
Wyoming’s state parks are also good primitive camping areas. Contact: 800-225-5996; http://wyoparks.state.wy.us.
APPENDIX 2
Resources
AM Solar
P.O. Box 696
Springfield, OR 97477
541-726-1091
Fax:541-736-1107
www.amsolar.com
Solar panels, charge controllers, and accessories
Bachman Enterprises
P.O. Box 6159
Gardnerville, NV 89460
800-326-4410; 775-265-3003
www.turbokool.com
TurboKOOL swamp coolers
Barker Manufacturing
730 E. Michigan Avenue
Battle Creek, MI 49016
800-537-9940; 269-965-2371
Fax: 269-965-2389
www.barkermfg.com
Tote-Along gray- and black-water portable holding tanks
Blue Sky Energy
2598 Fortune Way, Suite K
Vista, CA 92081
800-493-7877; 760-597-1642
Fax:760-597-1731
www.blueskyenergyinc.com
Camping World
P.O. Box 90017
Bowling Green, KY 42102
800-626-3636
www.campingworld.com
Retail stores and online site with a wide variety of RV and camping products
Coast Distribution System
350 Woodview Avenue
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
408-782-6686
Fax: 408-782-7790
www.coastdistribution.com
Tote-N-Stor gray- and black-water portable holding tanks
East Penn Manufacturing Company
Deka Road
Lyon Station, PA 19536
610-682-6361
Fax:610-682-4781
www.eastpenn-deka.com
Deka batteries
Escapees RV Club
100 Rainbow Drive
/> Livingston,TX 77351
888-757-2582
Fax: 936-327-4388
www.escapees.com
Offers many services; see the website for details
Fan-tastic Vent
2083 S. Almont Avenue
Imlay City, MI 48444
800-521-0298; 810-724-3818
Fax:810-724-3460
www.fantasticvent.com
Vent fans
Heliotrope PV
P.O. Box 696
Springfield, OR 97477
541-726-1091
Fax:541-736-1107
www.heliotrope-pv.com
Solar charge controllers
Iota Engineering
P.O. Box 11846
Tucson, AZ 85734
520-294-3292
Fax:520-741-2837
www.iotaengineering.com
Smart battery chargers
Lifeline Batteries
955 Todd Avenue
Azusa, CA 91702
800-527-3224; 626-969-6886
Fax: 626-969-8566
www.lifelinebatteries.com
Lifeline batteries
Magnum Energy
1111 80th Street SW, Suite 250
Everett, WA 98203
425-353-8833
Fax:425-353-8390
www.magnumenergy.com
Pure-sine-wave inverters
Navimo USA
7455 16th Street East, Suite 107
Sarasota, FL 34243
866-383-1888
Fax:866-214-1400
www.navimousa.com
Flexible water tanks
Northwood Manufacturing
P.O. Box 3359
La Grande, OR 97850
800-766-6274; 541-962-6274
www.northwoodmfg.com
Nash and Arctic Fox travel trailers
Progressive Dynamics
507 Industrial Road
Marshall, MI 49068
269-781-4241
Fax: 269-781-7802
www.progressivedyn.com
Converter/chargers
Recreational Vehicle Industry Associaton (RVIA)
1896 Preston White Drive
Reston,VA 20191
703-620-6003
Fax: 703-620-5071
www.rvia.org
National RV trade association
RV Solar Electric
P.O. Box 25313
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
800-999-8520; 480-443-8520
Fax: 480-443-0742
www.rvsolarelectric.com
Solar systems
Southwest Windpower
1801W Route 66
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
928-779-9463
Fax:928-779-1485
www.windenergy.com
Wind generators
Sun Ovens International
39W835 Midan
Drive Elburn,IL60119
800-408-7919; 630-208-7273
Fax: 630-208-7386
www.sunoven.com
Global Sun Oven
West Marine
P.O. Box 50070
Watsonville, CA 95077
800-728-2700
www.westmarine.com
Retail stores and online site with a huge variety of products
Wrangler NW Power Products
5061 N. Lagoon Avenue
Portland, OR 97217
503-235-4110
Fax:503-517-0753
www.wranglernw.com
High-powered alternators
Xantrex Technology
800-670-0707
Fax:360-925-5143
www.xantrex.com
Wide variety of power supply products
APPENDIX 3
Recommended Reading
Bannan, Jan. Great Western RV Trips. Camden, Maine: Ragged Mountain Press, 1998.
Church, Mike, and Terri Church. Pacific Northwest Camping Destinations. Kirkland, Washington: Rolling Homes Press, 2006.
———. Southwest Camping Destinations. Kirkland, Washington: Rolling Homes Press, 2006.
———. Traveler’s Guide to Alaskan Camping. Kirkland, Washington: Rolling Homes Press, 2006.
———. Traveler’s Guide to Camping Mexico’s Baja. Kirkland, Washington: Rolling Homes Press, 2006.
———. Traveler’s Guide to Mexican Camping. Kirkland, Washington: Rolling Homes Press, 2006.
Davin, D.J. RV Camping in State Parks. Lenexa, Kansas: Roundabout Publications, 2007.
Groene, Janet, and Gordon Groene. Great Eastern RV Trips. Camden, Maine: Ragged Mountain Press, 2000.
Herow, William C. National Park Service Camping Guide. 3rd ed. Lenexa, Kansas: Roundabout Publications, 2007.
Hinkle, Spurgeon L. Camping with the Corps of Engineers. 6th ed. Elkhart, Indiana: Cottage Publications, 2005.
Kenny, Jane. Casino Camping. Lenexa, Kansas: Roundabout Publications, 2006.
———. RVer’s Guide to Corps of Engineers Campgrounds. Lenexa, Kansas: Roundabout Publications, 2007.
———. Rest Areas & Welcome Centers Along US Interstates. Lenexa, Kansas: Roundabout Publications, 2001.
Moeller, Bill, and Jan Moeller. RV Electrical Systems. Camden, Maine: Ragged Mountain Press, 1995.
———. RVing Basics. Camden, Maine: Ragged Mountain Press, 1995.
Tisdale, Mary, and Bibi Booth, eds. Adventures on America’s Public Lands. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian, 2003.
INDEX
Please note that index links point to page beginnings from the print edition. Locations are approximate in e-readers, and you may need to page down one or more times after clicking a link to get to the indexed material.
Numbers in bold refer to pages with illustrations
absorption stage. See acceptance stage
AC (alternating current), 64, 121–22
AC (alternating current) appliances, 62–63, 78–80
acceptance stage, 98, 119–20
Adventures in America’s Public Lands (Tisdale and Booth), 14, 166
AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries, 68;
advantages and disadvantages, 70–71;
charging voltages, 96;
life cycles, 101;
maintaining, 85;
sizes and specifications, 71–72
air conditioners, 46, 51, 107
Alabama campgrounds, 151
Alaska campgrounds, 20, 151
alternators: efficiency, testing, 110–11;
function and components, 62, 105–6;
high-output, 106–7, 109;
tapered charging, 96–98, 106, 109;
voltage drop and, 107–9
altitude: CO poisoning and, 50;
heater operation and, 49
American Automobile Association (AAA), 22–23
ammeters, 90–92, 91, 95
amperes (amps), 64, 65
amp-hour meters, 94–95
amp-hour ratings, 73–75, 76
amp-hours, 65, 73, 76–80
appliances: advances in, 2;
amperage and wattage, 76–80, 115, 126;
phantom loads, 8, 82–83, 125–26;
types of, 62–63. See also AC (alternating current) appliances;
DC (direct current) appliances
Arizona campgrounds, 151–52
Arkansas campgrounds, 152
Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds, 16–17
automotive batteries, 62, 63–64, 67
awnings, 54
backfire flame arrester, 115
Balmar chargers and regulators, 99
Barker Manufacturing holding tanks, 37
batteries: aging of, 66, 74;
amp-hour ratings, 73–75, 76;
capacity, 66, 72–76;
cranking amps, 75;
dead batteries, 61–62, 76, 92;
depth of discharge (DOD), 76, 80, 93, 94, 101–2, 103, 118, 119, 120, 121;
diffusion rate, 65, 99;
discharge process, 64,65;
function and components, 63–65
;
life cycles, 100–103;
load size recommendation, 74, 103, 127;
maintaining, 85–88;
monitoring, 7–8, 89–95, 91, 93, 94;
reserve capacity ratings, 75–76;
rest period for, 102–3;
Rule of Twenty-Fives, 103–4, 127;
safety precautions and practices, 83–85;
self-discharging, 67, 100;
shedding, 66;
sizes and specifications, 71–72;
sulfation, 66;
temperature, 74;
trip planning and, 14;
types of, 62, 63–64, 67–71, 73. See also AGM (absorbed glass mat)
batteries;gel-cell batteries;wet-cell batteries
battery banks: daily needs, calculating, 76–80;
designing, 73, 76–82, 81, 127–28;
isolating from SLI battery, 111 -12;
number of batteries in, 82;
series and parallel wiring, 73, 80–81;
storage capacity, 76, 80
battery charging and recharging: charge acceptance rate, 65;
charging devices, 8–9, 11, 104, 124;
charging devices, switching off, 103;
charging rates, 97, 98, 99, 104;
charging time, 99, 103, 109, 110, 119–20, 121;
charging voltages, 95–96;
combiners, 112;
designing charging systems, 127–28;
gassing, 66, 69,84, 95–96, 99–100;
life cycles, 100–103;
overcharging, 67, 95;
process for, 64–65, 66, 95–104, 106, 109, 118;
rest period after, 92, 93, 102–3;
Rule of Twenty-Fives, 104;
temperature, 96;
wire size and, 107–9. See also alternators;
converters/chargers;generators;inverters;solar panels;wind generators
battery combiners, 112
battery condition meters, 90, 93
battery isolators, 111–12
battery switches, 111
Big Hole River, Montana, 22
Bighorn Mountains,Wyoming, 22
Bitterroot Valley, Montana, 22
black-water tanks, 9, 36–38
bladder water tanks, 35
blue-flame heaters, 49, 51
Blue Ridge Parkway area, 150, 154, 161
books, recommended, 14, 16, 17, 166
boondock RVing: basic boondocking, 62;